Health Literacy: Common Health Issues

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Recommended: The three areas of health literacy, according to Bennett and Perkins 2012

Health literacy means the understanding and common knowledge about health and health related issues. Health literacy is generally studied in terms of knowledge of general public about common health issues, preventive care and management of health conditions through lifestyle and behavioral changes. In this regard, it is important that common people have access to health related material so that they can benefit from the literature in their practical lives (Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), 2010). Doctors and nurses play significant role in promotion of health related material by designing community awareness and educational programs. As a result, it is expected that patients would project better health indicators …show more content…

As a result, they are more vulnerable to developing health issues and prone to showing poor health outcomes. The researchers concluded that there was a consistent correlation among low health literacy and high number of hospitalizations, need of emergency care, lower number of screening for cancers and other epidemics and poorer adherence to medications prescribed by the doctors. In addition to this, with low health literacy rates, patients fail to comprehend the available health literature, health messages and demonstrate overall poorer health status. This further results in high mortality rates, and increased economic and health burden due to comorbidities (Berkman et al., …show more content…

The health literacy involves educating general populations on basic knowledge of common diseases, signs and symptoms, possible causes, preventive care, medications, severity and possible methods of management through lifestyle or behavioral changes. Moreover, the literature is written or verbally delivered in jargon which is understandable for individuals with lowest education level or qualification. The purpose is to disseminate the information to as many individuals as possible. As a result, not only does the preventive care indicators are improved but also contributes to better health outcomes among patients who have acquired a particular health condition. This is due to the fact that patients understand the issue and cooperate with doctors/ physicians in implementing the

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